Details of Award
NERC Reference : NE/P020410/1
Environmental Genomics and Metabolomics
Training Grant Award
- Lead Supervisor:
- Dr J Colbourne, University of Birmingham, Sch of Biosciences
- Grant held at:
- University of Birmingham, Sch of Biosciences
- Science Area:
- Earth
- Freshwater
- Marine
- Terrestrial
- Overall Classification:
- Freshwater
- ENRIs:
- Biodiversity
- Environmental Risks and Hazards
- Global Change
- Natural Resource Management
- Pollution and Waste
- Science Topics:
- Conservation Ecology
- Environmental Genomics
- Functional genomics
- Metabolomics / Metabonomics
- Transcriptomics
- Abstract:
- Research in the field of Environmental Genomics and Metabolomics seeks to understand how gene function is influenced by environmental conditions while accounting for variation that exists within and among natural populations. Two significant advances create opportunities to finally understand how genes and their products interact with the environment to determine the fitness of individuals and to population-level outcomes to environmental stress -- from climate change to diffuse pollution. (1) Genome and transcriptome sequences are rapidly becoming available for a growing number of species whose ecology and physiology are well understood. (2) Sophisticated tools that can simultaneously measure the full complement of RNA and metabolites within organisms (supported by high-throughput biology, statistical analysis and informatics) are rapidly becoming more accessible to single investigator laboratories. This course is built on the paradigm that the research field will most effectively grow by properly designing large-scale experiments enabled by drastically increased sample-throughput and lower costs. Most importantly, the challenges of manipulating and analyzing populationlevel genomics data must be addressed. This course trains early career scientists and PhD students to design studies, and to collect and analyze state-of-the-art gene expression and metabolic data. For the fifth and sixth years of this course, the students gain greater in-depth training on the integration of multiple omics data types, in order to draw mechanistic knowledge of the processes by which organisms respond and cope with environmental challenges, allowing the discovery of gene regulatory and metabolic pathways that underpin acclimation and adaptation. Most importantly, the UK, EU and US environmental protection agencies with the OECD are all promoting 21st century molecular approaches at monitoring environmental change impacts on the biodiversity of plants and animals (under the EU Water Framework Directive; WFD) and in the assessment of chemical toxicity (under the EU Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation & Restriction of Chemical Substances; REACH). This course aims to train this next generation of environmental scientists, policy makers and regulators. Daphnia is used for training because of its growing use as a model system for environmental genomics and metabolomics, and for improving environmental health protection. Yet the skills learned during the course are applicable to all study systems with mature genomics resources. This course is particularly unique by using a blend of teaching formats (lectures, hands-on training, synthesis sessions, facility tours, networking opportunities and a seminar series delivered by internationally recognized investigators) and by being forward looking in the development of multi-omics approaches for both solving scientific and environmental health management problems.
- NERC Reference:
- NE/P020410/1
- Grant Stage:
- Completed
- Scheme:
- Doctoral Training
- Grant Status:
- Closed
- Programme:
- Advanced Training
This training grant award has a total value of £57,250
FDAB - Financial Details (Award breakdown by headings)
| Total - Other Costs |
|---|
| £57,250 |
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